[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6560444,"mediaKeyId","3338942-eb13d2755960cf5bcc4deea7cbd0a787","parentId",3338942,"title","Leesburg planning commission continues in‑depth review of zoning ordinance rewrite — uses and standards","audioSeconds",2910,"startMs",2300380,"endMs",5211205,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3338942-eb13d2755960cf5bcc4deea7cbd0a787&start=2300&end=5211","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3338942-eb13d2755960cf5bcc4deea7cbd0a787/thumbnail_2300380.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6560444/Leesburg/Loudoun-County/Virginia/Leesburg-planning-commission-continues-indepth-review-of-zoning-ordinance-rewrite-uses-and-standards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6560444-951e7ee2f07299ade588b29f5f2046b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1776394243&Signature=e2nLhuOGdsCUmKFHZrgtZdHrrG6yxb-ubevcLPtHhMCu8~OA1p5lzXzj38jym7Ok3dUhb6v4oq~qfl6zW6~9tnfU7RHmreWI6zWAcczHFHP5B~OpnKMM5lusq7UpnBkyJoBs7qAiIUBQ87iFz48Xg~faowP8n~uH5M9A4MrpBLEi7mmZapv3vhoEUDHEjb17u1RBOdjrJnlM632G4o2gvo2vN~2Nne1~1ixPQLQF~QNAKbQI8cyDGERs0TdC8rr9YALiXnpWV-qu1qxluw~jFkQHIeIFreStdTWk7uALFBlkk-Z8gczWVL9xSlqUy44CiCu8uG3Ce7WqfDpjhRZC1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Leesburg","date","2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","article","The Leesburg Planning Commission continued an in‑depth review of the town’s zoning ordinance rewrite on May 15, focusing on Article 3 (uses) and the draft standards in divisions 11 through 16.

Staff framed the effort as advancing the Legacy Leesburg town plan by modernizing use categories, clarifying limited‑use and special‑exception standards, and aligning the code with the town’s character designations. The rewrite replaces detailed, itemized use lists with character‑based categories; staff asked commissioners whether proposed standards should be relaxed, tightened, or supplemented.

Commission discussion covered multiple use categories and standards. Commissioners raised format and clarity issues, including whether limited‑use standards should appear separately from special‑exception standards and whether redundant text could be consolidated. Commissioners asked staff to ensure that where a use is not permitted in a district the text and tables do not create ambiguity.

Group living and congregate housing: Commissioners asked why congregate housing language appears in sections that do not permit the use in residential districts. Staff explained the draft organizes use standards by category and the corresponding use table indicates where group living is permitted; the placement reflects a character‑based approach rather than a guarantee of permissibility in every district.

Continuing care and parking ratios: Commissioners extensively discussed standards for continuing care retirement communities (independent living, assisted living, nursing). Staff noted draft open‑space and parking minimums were drawn from research and prior applications; for example, one referenced jurisdiction uses 0.75 open‑space units per dwelling. Commissioners said independent living residents should have dedicated parking and asked staff to return with empirical parking studies and options for visitor parking standards. One developer’s feedback, staff said, suggested some standards may overstate actual parking demand.

Facility operations and oversight: For congregate‑housing and transitional facilities, commissioners questioned whether a facility manager must be on‑site 24/7. Staff said the draft requires a facility manager on duty during normal business hours and allows off‑hour on‑call arrangements, reflecting standards elsewhere and the operational models discussed in prior rezoning applications.

Home occupations and accessory uses: Commissioners debated a long list of prohibited home occupations (for example, funeral‑related businesses were included as prohibited uses). Several commissioners suggested revisiting that list to focus restrictions on measurable impacts (traffic, parking, noise) rather than specific trades. Staff noted the draft contains both categorical prohibitions and operational limits (floor area, employees, traffic generation) and offered to return with a refined list and deeper analysis.

Temporary uses: Staff reviewed proposed duration and frequency limits for temporary uses (farmers markets, seasonal sales, outdoor dining, special events). Commissioners recommended clarifying the table’s two dimensions (maximum events per year and days per event), and suggested changes: increase special events from 4 to 6 per year with a 10‑day cap, and allow temporary outdoor dining in two 90‑day seasons (2 x 90), rather than a single 180‑day continuous block. Staff will revise the draft table and add clearer definitions (for example, distinguishing when a temporary use permit is required for tents larger than 900 sq ft).

Telecommunications, utilities and other reserved items: Division 15 (telecom) and several special‑exception standards are marked “reserved” pending further staff work. Commissioners asked staff to return with details on rooftop equipment coverage limits, mobile/temporary telecom testing facilities, and legal constraints where utilities possess condemnation authority or state regulatory preemption.

Next steps and staff commitments: Staff agreed to consolidate redundant standards, provide data and references supporting parking ratios (including ITE and jurisdictional comparisons), revisit the home‑occupation prohibited list, refine temporary‑use definitions and permit triggers, and circulate a revised draft before the commission’s June recap. The commission plans a recap session following the summer break to review articles 1–3 together before moving on to article 4.

The review session identified numerous technical edits and policy questions but did not produce formal votes; staff will incorporate the commission’s feedback into the next draft and return with specific data on parking, open‑space aggregation for continuing care facilities, and telecom provisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Leesburg - Planning Commission Meeting - May 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Planning Commission continued review of Article 3 of the zoning ordinance rewrite on May 15, focusing on use standards for group living, continuing care, home occupations, temporary uses, and telecom provisions.","taxTitle","Leesburg, Loudoun County, Virginia","taxId",5641,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6560449,"Leesburg planning panel approves special exception for Shenandoah Square drive‑thru",2185,101685,2286720,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3338942-eb13d2755960cf5bcc4deea7cbd0a787&start=101&end=2286","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3338942-eb13d2755960cf5bcc4deea7cbd0a787/thumbnail_101685.jpg","/articles/6560449/Leesburg/Loudoun-County/Virginia/Leesburg-planning-panel-approves-special-exception-for-Shenandoah-Square-drivethru","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6560449-975caa7c9a4861782c72a5a107b91dad/orig.mp4?Expires=1776394243&Signature=Xjeb3mGs55Pvf7TFKL02TxdmFlXg62lCmqPit0pG0ddkb4oY~zKNauq7NIywyzyNBF1~6DHPyOh0X1Y8OmKWkLOwlAIbmwe5aUuQG~w7gU~Mf~Zw~7LCR~KMumsl01NpUg4nBKTLEz279ofUkEkbcqmoxHd-Vbp8hw~cHIrj3QhPKfqLnPFB-FUAcgyJ3BHR5lFmwLy4kbSjQElAAfEPw8qs3yaPMW0zgcbRqihlAhegPma4wR2H~QK0B9E~yio8DXTiFSFQm0iE0k7nJPKw8Fbvxiw6L-6tTKYQvk41HaHJa99vQA1ES8wiOfvK~MuZUC0o9zmU5vIC-taox6AboQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Leesburg Planning Commission on May 15 recommended approval of special exception application TLSPEX2024‑0016 to allow a drive‑thru eating establishment at Shenandoah Square Shopping Center.

Brian Boucher, Deputy Director of the Town of Leesburg Department of Community Development, presented the application and said the request would permit “an up to 5,000 square foot eating establishment, fast food with a drive thru facility” as part of a proposed 10,000‑square‑foot building in the center. Boucher said the property is mapped B3 but is administered under the Old Town B2 General Business District because of an earlier rezoning, and that the site lies in an area the town plan designates for transformation to a more walkable, mixed‑use center.

Boucher said the applicant met minimum stacking requirements for the drive‑thru lane, provided a required loading space, and would rely on an existing cross‑parking agreement that serves the shopping center. He told the commission staff recommended three conditions: substantial conformance with the special exception plat, adherence to the elevations submitted to staff, and a requirement that no waivers be allowed for elements not requested. Boucher also noted a traffic review attached to the full site plan found no mitigation measures were required.

Commissioners questioned hours of operation and site landscaping. Commissioner McAfee said a proffer limiting late‑night hours would be her preference; Michael Watson, the town’s zoning administrator, told the commission “there aren’t restrictions on the hours of operation” attached to prior special exceptions and that operating hours are typically the owner’s choice unless the commission finds a specific need to mitigate impacts.

Bob Mitchell, the property owner and applicant, addressed questions about potential tenants and hours. Mitchell said he has no tenant currently under contract and did not want to commit specific hours because future tenants could vary by type (for example, a grocery versus a coffee shop). He told the commission he supports activating the center and aims to follow the town plan’s long‑term goals for increased density and mixed uses: “I want to build density and I want to build up just like the Leesburg town plan calls for on my property.”

Commissioners also asked whether interior parking‑lot landscaping could be increased and whether shrubs could be changed to trees; Mitchell said small trees could be added in the parking islands without blocking visibility to tenant signage. Staff said some areas east of the paved lot contain easements and steep grades that limit planting opportunities.

After discussion the commission moved to recommend approval “on the basis that the special exception meets the approval criteria of TLCO section 3.40.12 and the proposal will serve the public necessity, convenience, general welfare, and good planning practice,” with the conditions summarized in the May 15 staff report. The motion carried; the commission chair announced the application would go forward to the Town Council with the commission’s recommendation and the enumerated conditions.

The approval requires substantial conformance to the special‑exception plat revised through May 7, 2025; adherence to the submitted elevations; and that no modifications or waivers be granted for elements not requested by the applicant. Staff estimated, using a conservative restaurant footprint under 3,000 square feet, roughly $89,000 in annual tax revenue would be generated by a typical tenant at that size, and noted the site previously contained a fully serviced Walmart.

The planning commission closed the public hearing and sent the recommendation to Town Council. The town staff presentation and the applicant’s remarks remain part of the public hearing record.","The Leesburg Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a special exception (TLSPEX2024‑0016) to allow up to a 5,000‑square‑foot eating establishment with a drive‑thru at Shenandoah Square Shopping Center, subject to conditions including substantial conformance with submitted elevations and site layout.","actionData","errors"]

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Leesburg planning commission continues in‑depth review of zoning ordinance rewrite — uses and standards

Leesburg planning panel approves special exception for Shenandoah Square drive‑thru